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This Week in Music: Previews for Concerts from December 16-22, 2025

Published by New Jersey Stage

originally published: 12/16/2025

Here is a look at shows taking place from December 16-22, 2025 along with our featured listings and a look at some upcoming shows. New Jersey Stage offers previews of concerts throughout the Garden State as well as select shows in New York City and Philadelphia areas. Click on the title to go to the full preview. Jump to Featured Events, Event Previews, Event Listings, Coming Soon.

The events found here are show previews created by New Jersey Stage. You can send press releases to [email protected] to have your events considered for previews. There is no cost for preview articles. Featured listings are found in the NJ Stage calendar, reserved for advertisers, and provided with individual event pages for every performance. Event pages are also available for $10 per event (multiple performances count as a single event). Event pages are also included with every banner ad purchase. Banner ads are available from $50-$100 per event and can be purchased up to 3 months in advance. Click here for information on advertising at New Jersey Stage.

FEATURED EVENTS

Country Artist Jessica Lynn brings her "A Very Merry Classic Christmas" to New Jersey. (WAYNE, NJ) -- Acclaimed Brooklyn-born country artist, Jessica Lynn, is bringing her annual Christmas spectacular: "A Very Merry Classic Christmas" to three venues in New Jersey from December 17-21, 2025. She will be performing shows in Wayne, West Long Branch, and Newton during the ninth run of her holiday show.

Thursday, December 18 - Outpost in the Burbs presents The Del Fuegos. (MONTCLAIR, NJ) -- Outpost in the Burbs presents The Del Fuegos on Thursday, December 18, 2025 at the First Congregational Church in Montclair. Teddy Thompson will open the night. Showtime is 8:00pm.




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Thursday, December 18 - Lizzie Rose Music Room presents A Very Very Cassie and Maggie Christmas on Thursday. (TUCKERTON, NJ) -- The Lizzie Rose Music Room presents A Very Very Cassie and Maggie Christmas on Thursday, December 18, 2025. In the heart of Nova Scotia, where the salt of the sea mingles with the depth of the soul, JUNO nominated sisters, Cassie and Maggie, unite as a powerful and commanding folk duo. Doors are at 7:00pm; showtime is 7:30pm.

Lizzie Rose Music Room presents two shows by Steve Forbert. (TUCKERTON, NJ) -- Steve Forbert is touring in support of his wonderful album, Daylight Savings Time, and has a pair of shows coming up at the Lizzie Rose Music Room on December 19-20, 2025. The first night is sold out, but a limited number of tickets are available for the second night.

Saturday, December 20 - bergenPAC presents Old Crow Medicine Show's Holiday Hootenanny featuring Bronwyn Keith-Hynes. (ENGLEWOOD, NJ) -- Bergen Performing Arts Center (bergenPAC) presents Old Crow Medicine Show's Holiday Hootenanny featuring Bronwyn Keith-Hynes on Saturday, December 20, 2025 at 7:00pm. For the very first time, Old Crow Medicine Show is bringing a holiday tour to the stage!

EVENT PREVIEWS

Thursday, December 18 - Rialto Spotlight Series Closes Out 2025 with Westfield Native and Touring Drummer Lucy Ritter. (WESTFIELD, NJ) -- The Rialto Center for Creativity's Spotlight Series closes out 2025 with a high-energy evening featuring Lucy Ritter, a professional drummer whose remarkable career has taken her from local stages in Westfield to sold-out tours around the world. The event will take place on Thursday, December 18, 2025 at the Rialto Center for Creativity. Showtime is 7:00pm.

Friday, December 19 - The Vogel presents The Smithereens with special guest vocalist John Cowsill. (RED BANK, NJ) -- The Vogel presents The Smithereens with special guest vocalist John Cowsill on Friday, December 19, 2025 at 8:00pm. Since their formation in Carteret, New Jersey in 1980, The Smithereens have earned a reputation as one of America's most enduring rock bands.

Friday, December 19 - The Newton Theatre presents From Good Homes. (NEWTON, NJ) -- From Good Homes returns to The Newton Theatre for shows on December 19-20, 2025 at 8:00pm each night. The genesis of the band dates back to a high school when childhood friends Todd Sheaffer, Brady Rymer, and Patrick Fitzsimmons came together in rural, Northwestern NJ to play some music.

Friday, December 19 - Newark Symphony Hall Kicks Off Centennial Year with Holidays at the Hall: DJ D-Nice and Jazz Legend Gerald Albright Lead Star-Studded Celebrations. (NEWARK, NJ) -- Newark Symphony Hall kicks off a year-long centennial celebration with a slate of holiday programming, including A Merry Club Quarantine (CQ) Christmas Concert featuring DJ D-Nice and an all-star lineup of special guests on Friday, December 19, 2025. DJ D-Nice, the iconic architect behind "Club Quarantine," will headline this holiday dance party, with host Tisha Campbell. They will be joined by special guests NEXT, YG Marley, Kenny Burns, Jaheim, Shirley Jones, Koffee Brown, and more. The doors open at 7:00pm and showtime is 8:00pm.

Friday, December 19 - New Jersey Symphony returns with its holiday tradition: Handel's Messiah. (PRINCETON, NJ) -- New Jersey Symphony will present three performances of George Frideric Handel's Messiah. The Symphony will perform all three parts of the oratorio. The performances will take place Friday, December 19, 2025 at 7:30pm and Saturday, December 20, 2025 at 7:30pm at Richardson Auditorium in Princeton; and Sunday, December 21, 2025 at 7:00pm at Cathedral Basilica of the Sacred Heart in Newark.

Saturday, December 20 - Water Gap Jazz Orchestra presents Duke Ellington’s Nutcracker and the Grinch Suites at Morris Museum. (MORRISTOWN, NJ) -- The Water Gap Jazz Orchestra returns to the Morris Museum to perform Duke Ellington's iconic Nutcracker Suite and their very own Grinch Suite. Performances take place Saturday, December 20, 2025 at 3:00pm & 7:00pm.

Saturday, December 20 - Sixpence None The Richer presents O'Night Divine: A Sixpence Christmas at SOPAC. (SOUTH ORANGE, NJ) -- Sixpence None the Richer is "coming out swinging" for their first tour in nearly two decades. "O'Night Divine: A Sixpence Christmas" is an evening of Christmas classics delivered in the band's distinctive blend of indie-rock guitars and dynamic vocals. The tour comes to South Orange Performing Arts Center (SOPAC) on Saturday, December 20, 2025 at 7:30pm.

Sunday, December 21 - Light Opera of New Jersey presents annual Holiday Pops Concert on December 21st. (BASKING RIDGE, NJ) -- Light Opera of New Jersey (LONJ) presents its annual Holiday Pops Concert on Sunday, December 21, 2025 at the Ridge Performing Arts Center in Basking Ridge. The concert, featuring a full orchestra and a program of festive classics, will star acclaimed Soprano Kristin Sampson and Tenor Jeremy Brauner, led by LONJ's Executive Director and Conductor Jason Tramm, with Susan Heerema serving as Concert Master. Showtime is 3:00pm.

Sunday, December 21 - Great Music on the Morristown Green presents Parallel Brass Quintet on December 21st. (MORRISTOWN, NJ) -- Great Music on the Morristown Green presents the acclaimed Parallel Brass Quintet in concert on Sunday, December 21, 2025, at Morristown United Methodist Church. Parallel Brass is a group of diverse musicians and music educators who possess a wide range of musical skills and expertise, including classical, jazz, Latin, and many other genres. Showtime is 3:00pm.

EVENT LISTINGS

Click on the title to go to the event page for complete information on the show.

Tuesday, December 16 @ 6:30pm - OCVTS GPAA Winter 2025 Showcases at Grunin Center - Main Stage, 1 College Drive, Toms River

Thursday, December 18 @ 5:00pm - OCVTS GPAA Winter 2025 Showcases at Grunin Center - Main Stage, 1 College Drive, Toms River

Thursday, December 18 @ 7:00pm - The Maccabeats at Bergen Performing Arts Center (bergenPAC), 30 North Van Brunt Street, Englewood

Thursday, December 18 @ 7:30pm - OCVTS GPAA Winter 2025 Showcases at Grunin Center - Main Stage, 1 College Drive, Toms River

Thursday, December 18 @ 7:30pm - Cassie and Maggie - A very very Cassie and Maggie Christmas at Lizzie Rose Music Room, 217 E. Main Street, Tuckerton

Thursday, December 18 @ 8:00pm - The Del Fuegos at Outpost In The Burbs, 40 S Fullerton Ave, Montclair

Friday, December 19 @ 7:30pm - Broadway for the Holidays 5 at Grunin Center - Black Box Theater, 1 College Drive, Toms River

Friday, December 19 @ 7:30pm - Steve Forbert at Lizzie Rose Music Room, 217 E. Main Street, Tuckerton

Saturday, December 20 @ 2:00pm - Broadway for the Holidays 5 at Grunin Center - Black Box Theater, 1 College Drive, Toms River

Saturday, December 20 @ 2:00pm - John Denver Christmas featuring Chris Collins & Boulder Canyon at Algonquin Arts Theatre, 60 Abe Voorhees, Manasquan

Saturday, December 20 @ 7:00pm - The Wag’s Christmas Spectacular at Middletown Arts Center, 36 Church Street, Middletown

Saturday, December 20 @ 7:00pm - Old Crow Medicine Show's Holiday Hootenanny Featuring Bronwyn Keith-Hynes at Bergen Performing Arts Center (bergenPAC), 30 North Van Brunt Street, Englewood

Saturday, December 20 @ 7:30pm - Broadway for the Holidays 5 at Grunin Center - Black Box Theater, 1 College Drive, Toms River

Saturday, December 20 @ 7:30pm - L’Chaim - A Toast to the Jewish Legacy of Broadway at Kean Stage - Enlow Recital Hall, 215 North Avenue, Hillside

Saturday, December 20 @ 7:30pm - Steve Forbert at Lizzie Rose Music Room, 217 E. Main Street, Tuckerton

Saturday, December 20 @ 7:30pm - John Denver Christmas featuring Chris Collins & Boulder Canyon at Algonquin Arts Theatre, 60 Abe Voorhees, Manasquan

Sunday, December 21 @ 2:00pm - Broadway for the Holidays 5 at Grunin Center - Black Box Theater, 1 College Drive, Toms River

Sunday, December 21 @ 3:00pm - Have Yourself a Merry Little Big Band starring Zack Alexander at Algonquin Arts Theatre, 60 Abe Voorhees, Manasquan

Sunday, December 21 @ 7:00pm - Darlene Love - Love For The Holidays at Bergen Performing Arts Center (bergenPAC), 30 North Van Brunt Street, Englewood

COMING SOON

The 80's New Wave tour Totally Tubular Festival comes to Ocean Casino Resort  (ATLANTIC CITY, NJ) -- The 80's New Wave tour Totally Tubular Festival has four East Coast shows to close out 2025, including a stop at Ocean Casino Resort in Atlantic City on Saturday, December 27th with a lineup that includes A Flock Of Seagulls, Men Without Hats, Thomas Dolby, The Romantics, Bow Wow Wow, and Tommy Tutone.


EVENT PREVIEWS

(HAMPTON, NJ) -- Hunterdon Hills Playhouse presents Vegas Country Show August 21-23, 2026. Get ready for a night of country hits, high energy, and pure star power as Vegas Country brings the music of Shania Twain and Tim McGraw to life.
WBJB

WBJB's Songwriters on the Beach series presents Nicole Atkins on August 27th

(BRADLEY BEACH, NJ) -- WBJB's Songwriters on the Beach presents Nicole Atkins on Thursday, August 27, 2026 at 7:00pm. Cory Blair will open the night. The free outdoor concert takes place at the Newark Avenue Beach in Bradley Beach. ** The show was rescheduled from July 16th due to the Air Quality Alert issued across New Jersey.

51st Annual New Jersey Folk Festival to Take Place August 29th

(SOUTH BRUNSWICK, NJ) -- The New Jersey Folk Festival (NJFF) is back for the 51st year on Saturday, August 29, 2026 at Davidson's Mill Pond Park in South Brunswick. The event is free and open to the public. It runs from 11:00am to 5:00pm.
The Strand presents Matt Stone as Elvis on August 29th

The Strand presents Matt Stone as Elvis on August 29th

(LAKEWOOD, NJ) -- Most 22-year-olds are chasing the next trend, scrolling through TikTok, and binging Love Island. Matt Stone has spent the last decade looking in the opposite direction.

McCarter Theatre Center presents Mei Semones on September 4th

(PRINCETON, NJ) -- McCarter Theatre Center presents Brooklyn-based singer-songwriter Mei Semones in the Berlind Theatre on Friday, September 4, 2026 at 7:30pm. Drawing on her background in jazz guitar and her Japanese heritage, she blends inventive harmonies, intricate rhythms, and bilingual lyricism into a sound that is both intimate and exploratory.
51st NJ Clearwater Festival to Take Place Labor Day Weekend in Asbury Park

51st NJ Clearwater Festival to Take Place Labor Day Weekend in Asbury Park

(ASBURY PARK, NJ) -- New Jersey Friends of Clearwater invites everyone to start their Labor Day Weekend at its free 51st Annual Clearwater Festival Saturday September 5, 2026, a late summer, family-friendly celebration of great live music, Mother Earth and more in Sunset Park near the ocean in Asbury Park.
The Machine performs Pink Floyd at The Newton Theatre on September 5th

The Machine performs Pink Floyd at The Newton Theatre on September 5th

(NEWTON, NJ) -- The Machine Performs Pink Floyd on Saturday, September 5, 2026 at the Newton Theatre. The band has forged a nearly 40 year reputation of extending the musical legacy of Pink Floyd. Showtime is 8:00pm.

MPAC presents Melissa Etheridge: Rise Tour on September 9th

(MORRISTOWN, NJ) -- Mayo Performing Arts Center (MPAC) presents Melissa Etheridge: Rise Tour on Wednesday, September 9, 2026 at 7:30pm. Known for her confessional lyrics and raspy, smoky vocals, Etheridge has remained one of America's favorite female singers for more than two decades.
Prudential Center presents Ella Langley on September 10th

Prudential Center presents Ella Langley on September 10th

(NEWARK, NJ) -- It's been a landmark year for Ella Langley. Fresh off a sweep at the ACM Awards where she won all seven awards she was nominated for, two recent American Music Award wins, and being the soundtrack of the summer for a trio of German fans on Twitter traveling through America during the World Cup. Ella continues one of the most dominant runs in music. She brings The Dandelion Tour to the Prudential Center in Newark on September 10, 2026 at 7:00pm. Special guests ERNEST and Gabriella Rose will open the night.
The Soundtrack of Resilience: Explore Music

The Soundtrack of Resilience: Explore Music's Role in Post-9/11 America at the Lacey Library

(FORKED RIVER, NJ) -- In honor of Patriot Day, the Lacey Branch of the Ocean County Library will host "The Soundtrack of Resilience: Music and 9/11" on Thursday, September 10, 2026. The event begins at 2:00pm.
 

FEATURED EVENTS


IMAGINE LENNON LIVE

Saturday, August 22, 2026 @ 7:30pm
Lizzie Rose Music Room
217 E. Main Street, Tuckerton, NJ


Ready or Yacht: The Best of Yacht Rock

Saturday, August 22, 2026 @ 8:00pm
Algonquin Arts Theatre
60 Abe Voorhees Drive, Manasquan, NJ


The Peace & Presence Tour: Omari Dillard

Saturday, August 22, 2026 @ 7:30pm
New Brunswick Performing Arts Center (NBPAC)
11 Livingston Avenue, New Brunswick, NJ


Ugly Kid Joe with Special Guests Wheatus and Platinum Moon

Sunday, August 23, 2026 @ 7:30pm
Carteret Performing Arts & Events Center
46 Washington Ave, Carteret, NJ


Joanna Connor - The Queen of Blues Rock Guitar

Tuesday, August 25, 2026 @ 7:30pm
Lizzie Rose Music Room
217 E. Main Street, Tuckerton, NJ



 

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